Supreme Court dismisses 9 petitions challenging bifurcation of AP

New Delhi: In a big boost to the Telangana statehood issue, the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed nine petitions challenging the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

A bench comprising justices HL Dattu and SA Bobde declined to pass any direction to the Centre on the petitions.

The bench referred to its earlier order of November 18, 2013 when it had said that it was premature at that time to entertain any petition relating to the opposition to the bifurcation of the state.

We do not see any change in the stage between November 18, 2013 and today. So we decline to interfere at this stage,” the bench said.

The Congress continues to be scarred by the Telangana turmoil. Three notices for no-confidence motions were moved against the UPA government by the TDP, the YSR Congress and the Seemandhra Congress MPs in Parliament on Friday. The BJP said this was the first time that leaders were acting against their own party.

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Kiran Kumar Reddy, has threatened to resign if the Bill is tabled in Parliament. Reddy said that his party was making a big mistake by going ahead with the Bill.

The Congress, however, has maintained its stand on the issue, saying it will not back down. “It’s a promise,” Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said. “Other parties may back down, we won’t,” Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said.